Ministry of Internal Affairs would like to respond to the statement of the Public Defender, Nino Lomjaria from September 24 alleging that according to the practice from the previous years, practically no one has been brought to justice for the violent activities committed in the pre-election period.
Throughout the election period the major objective of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to protect the rule of law and ensure that elections are held in a free, democratic and secure environment across the country.
In recent years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been attaching significant importance to acomplishing the abovementioned objective and has been instantaneous with legal response to every single incident within its competence.
Ministry has actively cooperated with the Central Election Commission in order to timely prevent all possible incidents, both at the polling station and in the adjacent territory of the polling station.
Based on the evidence obtained througout the investigation, specific individuals were faced to criminal liability regardless of their political views. Among the accused persons were representatives and supporters of both opposition and the ruling party.
For example, during the pre-election period of 2018 Presidential Elections, both throughout the first and second rounds, as well as during the post-election period investigation was launched on more than 70 criminal cases, out of which 27 individuals have been criminally charged.
The information on the activities of the Ministry has been regularly disseminated, both publicly and through the direct communication with international and local observer organizations.
Records, clearly indicating the reduced violence and efficient work undertaken by police during the elections, can also be found in the reports of the local and international observation missions.
Hereby, the Ministry of Internal Affairs would like to inform the public regarding the measures implemented/planned by the Ministry to ensure that the 2020 parliamentary elections will be held in a peaceful and secure environment.
• Order N129 of the Minister of Internal Affairs of August 26, 2020 has amended the Order N999 of the Minister of Internal Affaits of 31 December 2013 on “Approval of Code of Police Ethics of Georgia and Instructions of Conduct of Various Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia”. The updated instruction/guidelines have been adopted for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for the election period, which is a normative document and all the employees of the Ministry are obliged to adhere the instruction.
The instruction for the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia is in full compliance with the election legislation of Georgia and regulates the issues such as:
- Prohibitions during the pre-election agitation and campaign;
- Restrictions established during the election period;
- Rights and responsibilities of employees of the Ministry;
- Ensuring political neutrality of the Ministry;
- Ensuring the public order in the polling station and its ajdacent territory on the polling day by the Ministry and specific responsibilities for violating the election legislation.
In accordance with the recommendations of the Interagency Commission for “Fair and Free Elections” the content of the ban on the usage of administrative resources was defined under the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The content envisages prohibition of the usage of administrative resources of the Ministry thoughout the pre-election campaign by any individual eligible to participate in pre-election agitation during pre-election campaign in favour or against a political party, candidates of election subjects and election subjects. In addition to this usage of administrative buildings owned by the Ministry, means of communication, information services, various equipment and transport has been prohibited.
A record on prohibition of usage of communication means (including e-mail), information services (including official web-page or/and social media administrated by the means of budget) and other means of technique ( including through the usage of the abovementioned communication means and other types of technique publish of the information containing the signs of pre-election campaign (agitation) on personal social networks) owned by State authority has been added to the actual/current instruction.
On September 18, 2020 the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia issued the Order approving the Individual Legal Administrative act On Some Measures for Ensuring the conduction of Parliamentary Elections in Free, Safe and Peaceful Environment. According to the Order territorial bodies ensure prevention of violations and rapid response thereto on the territory being under their jurisdiction. Besides, the Order obliges all police officers to strictly adhere to the principle of political neutrality while performing official duties.
Taking into consideration the current epidemic situation, with the aim of ensuring the conduct of the Parliamentary Elections in safe environment, recommendations for the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs related to the Infection (Covid-19) caused be the New Corona Virus (Sars-CoV-2) have been drafted with the coordination with Labor Inspection Department of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, that are also foreseen in the Order.
In order to further improve the qualification of police officers in the field of election legislation and facilitate the efficient implementation of their duties, retraining of the employees of the structural units, territorial bodies and other police subunits of the Ministry (more than 4000 employees will be trained) is planned at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Thoughout the training, attendees will get familiarized with election legislation, police actions during the election process, recommendations for resolving the conflict and police response mechanisms to violations detected during the elections.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, as a politically neutral body is committed to ensure the conduct of the 2020 parliamentary elections in safe and free environment throughout the country and expresses its readiness to cooperate with all stakeholders in this regard.
